Dry-dock.



No. 664,844. Patented lan. I, |901. o. EPPS. DRY DOCK.

(Application Bled Apr. 2B, 1900.]

(No Modal.)

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UNTTnn STnTns PATENT OFFICE.

-OBLO EPPS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

DRY-DOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,844, dated January1, 1901.

Application led April Z8, 1900. Serial No. 14,675. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ORLO EPPS, a citizen of the United States, residingin Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented anew anduseful Dry-Dock, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the dry-docking of vessels by means of aiioating basin which when in use rest-s on an artificial foundationprepared for it and which connects to a dock built on the shore abovethe level of the Water in the harbor. Said basin will when docking avessel act on the principle of a canallock, but is designed to bemovable and may be detached from the dock at pleasure and moved to andattached to each of several docks similarly constructed. This methodobviates expensive excavations below waterlevel and heavy constructionnecessary to hold backwater pressures, also allows docks to be placednear each other, the sides being vertical, or nearly so, and it alsoprovides an easy means of launching new ships when the dock is used fora building-slip, as describedl herein.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention, and in which- FigureI is a plan of three docks, the basin, and supports for basin. Fig. IIis a vert-ical Fig. III is a vertical seotion on line 2 2. Fig. IV is avertical section on line 3 3. Fig. V is a vertical section, to a largerscale, of the bottom of dock at the outer end. the connecting part ofbasin, and the joint arrangement.

Fig. I represents a plan showing three docks D D D", also the basin B,attached to dock D, and also the foundation T in front of dock D. Thedocksin this case are parallel to each other and at right angles to thesea-wall S. They may be built in any other relation to each otherdesirable. C represents a caisson closing the outer end of the basinwhen in use and can be removed to pass vessels in or out. Itmay besimilar to the ones in common use in dry-docks or may be built as gatesto a canal-lock. It is intended that it may be adjusted at differentpoints of the side, so that the whole basin need not be lled when ashort boat is to be docked. A similar arrangement may be used in thedocks, if desired. T represents horizontal timbers placed in the bottomof the harbor, supported on and attached to piles and filled in betweenwith earth and concrete to preserve them. A similar foundation isprovided in front of each dock and will support the basin B when in use.

Fig. II represents a longitudinal section of the dock D, basin B,caisson C, timbers T, piles P, and sea-wallrS. G L is the grade-line andis just above the water-levelW L of the harbor. .W' L is the water-levelinside the basin and dock in docking a ship. O is the joining of dockand basin.

Fig. III is a cross-section of the basin B, the sides and bottom ofwhich are double, the outer skin extending above the Water-level in th'eharbor. F F are compartments, watertight, which when empty float thebasin.

Fig. IV is a cross-section of the dock D. It can be of any length orwidth so long as its outer end corresponds to that of the basin B. It isbuilt entirely above grade and may have water-tight doors at sides forentrance when the dock is dry, but closed when filled with water. Itwill be fitted with keel-blocks properly supported, and also appliancesfor cleaning and repairing vessels.

Fig. V shows a section through the joining of dock and basin, D beingthe door of the dock and B the inner end of the basin. E is awrought-iron plate bent as shown and extending entirely across the end.Similar plates extend up the sides. R R are rubber plates fastened tothe iron plate E and resting on the dock and basin, as shown. A is abolt attached to the basin and extending through the plate E, a seriesof which bolts secure the plate E in position by means of nuts. Thebasin will be further bolted to the dock when in use to prevent slippingendwise.

In general the operation will be as follows: The water ballast beingforced from the compartments of the basin, it is floated. and then movedin front of a dock. The compartments are then tilled, and when the basinrests on the timber foundation the joining-plates E are bolted inposition and the basin bolted to the dock. The caisson fis removed andthe vessel floated in. The caisson is then putin place and the basin anddock pumped full.

IOO

The vessel is then floated into the dook, when the water is allowed toilow out and the vessel rests on the keel-blocks- The basin may beturned at right angles to the dock when it receives or discharges avessel if the stream is narrow, and it maybe so placed when not in use.This method allows a narrow stream to be used for a shipyard-channel. Itis also proposed to use the docks for building-slips for new Work,thereby obviating the necessity of building a vessel on the incline andof launching in the old way. When so used, the vertical beams or postsat sides of doek will be carried up to a considerable height and willsupport traveling cranes, roofs, derricks, dac.

I am aware that the principle of the canal lock is old and also that adry-doek has been patented in which a shallow basin connects to a deeperone, all below the water-level of the harbor.

signed to raise a Vessel and float it into or out i ot' the dock asshown and described.

2. In a dry-dock as described, the combination of a dock and adetachable basin, said basin to be movable and fitted to be attached toone or more several docks, by means of a flexible joint as shown, andwhen so joined,

resting on an artificial foundation as shown and described. Y

oRLo EPP's. f

Witnesses:

S. J. MILES, J. A. MoDoWELL.

